Today’s
scriptures:
“We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our
righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we
wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.” (Isaiah 64:6)
“He gave His life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is
the message God gave to the world at just the right time.” (1 Timothy 2:6)
“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to
Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)
From the very early years of Tony’s life, he had
many trials and challenges. Tony grew up in a home filled with all kinds of
evil… violence, abuse, drugs and alcohol among many other things. He lived in
this environment because his parents created that environment. Tony believed
this was the way his life was to be. He hadn’t ever experienced true love and
acceptance.
By the time Tony was 13, he had helped his
brothers steel cars, deal crack, and even became involved in a gang. Then when
he turned 16 he had taken some elderly woman and her 8 year old granddaughter’s
life for the BMW she had in her garage. Even though Tony grew up with this
lifestyle all around him, he knew his life was completely unmanageable and out
of control. Of course he would not admit that to anyone so he could maintain is
“cool” and “got it together” demeanor, but he knew it was true!
Tony was caught, arrested and put on trial. He
was tried as an adult and was facing life in prison. Then, this man walks into
the court room and says “I want to represent this man as my client”. Although this
was not protocol, the judge allowed it. Tony was shaking inside knowing his
life up to this point was a complete ruin and a disaster, but still trying to
maintain his outward appearance of being so called “tough”.
Tony could not believe what he heard coming out
of the mouth of his new found lawyer… “I want to take this young man as my own,
and being that he is only 16, he needs to be mentored and discipled rather than
a cell to rot in for the rest of his life.” Now, Tony had seen it all and heard
it all. Who does this??? Who walks into a court room and says I want to take
this killer home with me to live so I can teach him life? Let alone, what judge
would allow it? As soon as Tony thought this with his mouth wide open in amazement
and disbelief, the judge granted him that request with very strict probation of
course.
After a few years of intense and extreme
sacrificial love, mercy and forgiveness on the lawyers part as well as on Tony’s,
he had a new life (Psalm 51:7)! He was working for his lawyer’s friend restoring
cars in a body shop in town and he met with the family of the two people he had
killed, pleading with their forgiveness. Amazingly all charges dropped and off
his record as if to say, ‘this man was never a thief, drug dealer or killer.’
I
wonder how many of us can relate to Tony. Yes, this story is amazing and
seemingly untrue! But there is a story that diminishes Tony’s life in a huge
way! There is this unbelievable story of someone who created a crime so
horrible the judge had sentenced them to a place far off from any civilization
to be tortured and tormented with fire and extreme malicious brutality for the
rest of their life never seeing any of their loved ones ever again…. FOR
EVER!!! You are that someone who has been sentenced to that place of torment! You
are that unbelievable story of inexplicable crimes that you have committed!
Would
you believe we all could relate if we really stop to meditate on the price
Jesus had to pay for our freedom and a new life? You see, Jesus is our “new
found lawyer” and God the Father is that judge accepting Jesus’ plea of taking
us in as His own. Jesus has spent an extreme amount of sacrificial love and
mercy and forgiveness on us so that we can have new life with Him! Not only has
Jesus given us that mercy and forgiveness, He extends that every day!
Some
of us may not be able to relate to Tony. Those of us who cannot, may not realize
how wicked and demonic our sins really are. If we are to TRULY humble or
ourselves we will put Jesus and ourselves in our rightful place knowing that He
is our needed savior!
Reflection:
The
reason why it is hard to look at ourselves as great sinners deserving of
eternal punishment is we compare ourselves by other sinners deserving death. We
fail to compare ourselves to a holy and righteous God. This is the point where
we need to throw up our hands and say, “Lord, your right! Even though I’m not
fully there of 100% totally believing what Your Word says about how wicked I am,
I do want to believe it. Help my unbelief.”
Challenge:
Ask
the Lord Jesus to help you believe and accept His daily forgiveness and mercy. We
don’t have to do anything to receive it. It’s there as a gift to us if we realize
how desperately we need it.
-Doug McGowan
